When the Jets hired Marty Mornhinweg as their offensive coordinator before this season, the prevailing notion was they would throw the ball more. After all, the West Coast offense used by Mornhinweg has long leaned on precise quarterback play.

But with one game remaining in an unsteady season for rookie quarterback Geno Smith, the 7-8 Jets have thrown precisely one more time than they have run — 452 to 451. Last season, the Jets threw 493 times and ran 494.

There have been few highlights for the Jets’ offense this season. It ranks 27th in the NFL with 314.4 yards per game and 30th with 18 points per game. But the Jets are ranked sixth with 133.6 rushing yards per game. Last season, they finished 12th, with 118.5 rushing yards per game.

Running back Chris Ivory, whom the Jets traded a fourth-round draft pick for in the offseason, has proven an upgrade over last year’s starter, Shonn Greene.

Ivory is averaging 4.6 yards per carry, compared to Greene’s 3.9 last season. Ivory has run for at least 5 yards per carry in five of the past seven games, including 109 yards (5.5 per carry) in last week’s victory over Cleveland.

In the season’s second half, Ivory had supplanted Bilal Powell as the Jets’ primary back. That said, Powell ran seven times for 54 yards against the Browns — his most yards since Week 4 at Tennessee.

While next year is the final season of Powell’s rookie contract, Ivory has two years remaining on his deal. So regardless of what happens after this season to coach Rex Ryan — and, perhaps, Mornhinweg — the Jets have reason to believe their running game is in good hands.

The team has decisions to make in the offseason about its offensive line. Right tackle Austin Howard and right guard Willie Colon will be free agents, with Colon having joined the Jets on a one-year contract for 2013. Howard, 26, is four years younger than Colon and seems likelier to be retained.

Smith credited his offensive line for the Jets’ recent success in the run game. The productivity takes pressure off Smith. In their top six rushing yards performances this season, the Jets are 5-1.

"It makes my job a lot easier when those guys are running the way that they are," Smith said.

The Jets ran for a season-high 208 yards against the Browns. Two weeks ago, they ran for 157 yards in a loss to Carolina — their fifth-best output of the year. Three weeks back, they accumulated 143 in a victory over Oakland, their sixth-highest total of 2013.

Not only does successful running force defenses to keep more players near the line of scrimmage, which creates passing opportunities, there is also a more nuanced benefit to making defensive fronts honor the run.

Ryan, a former defensive line coach, said defensive linemen try "to play with your shoulders squared towards the line of scrimmage versus the run. On the pass, you’re trying to get on the edge of an offensive lineman. That’s how the running game can really open up the passing game."

Of the Jets’ six-highest rushing outputs this season, four of those rank among their six best passing yardage totals. And the Jets won all four of those games.

"I’m a little different from the standpoint of being a receiver in the fact (that) I’m a firm believer in the schematics of running to set up the pass," said wide receiver David Nelson. "I know what it can bring. I know when you have a dominant running game, the freedom it creates for the passing game. Any time we’ve been able to run the ball successfully, it’s opened up a lot of things for us in the back end."